Return to Angel One
by poohba
Summary: The Enterprise revisits a planet where women rule over men... will they have to help start a revolution in order to save lives? The last chapter of this story is a little darker than I usually write... but I thought the topic deserved it.
1. Mistress Aliana

Return to Angel One

Stardate: Somewhere in Year 5 of the series, four years after the Enterprise (and the Federation)'s last contact with Angel One.

"There is no doubt, Captain. The asteroid will impact the surface of Angel One, hitting the most populated continent," Data said, succinctly as always, as he stood by the viewscreen in the Starboard Lounge. On screen, an animation of a large rock hitting the surface of a planet was looping over and over.

Picard furrowed his eyebrows. "Commander Data, is this asteroid part of the belt that the _Odin_ was disabled by eleven years ago?"

Data threw a quick glance at LaForge, who was standing on the other side of the viewscreen. The chief engineer laced his fingers together and slightly nodded. "We believe so. This asteroid appears to be a piece of a much larger one that has broken off and is being pulled to Angel One by the planet's gravitational field."

Picard tugged at his uniform front and swiveled his chair to face the rest of his command staff gathered around the conference table. Data and LaForge quickly found their seats. "Options?" 

LaForge shrugged, "We can try destroying the asteroid with our phasers, but most likely that would just break it into smaller pieces. They might not cause as much damage, but they'd fall over a larger area that way."

"We could vaporize them at a high phaser setting," Worf offered.

LaForge shook his head. "I don't even want to think about how much power it would take to do that. This rock is three kilometers wide, more than three times the size of the Enterprise."

"What about setting up a force field and lowering the asteroid's gravity. We've done that to push objects out the way with our tractor beams before," Picard said.

"That was adjusting a moon's orbit by a few degrees, Captain," LaForge said. "Here, we're too close to the planet for that to make a difference… if it would even work on an object not already in orbit."

Riker shook his head and eyed the captain. "It seems to me our only option is evacuation."

Picard nodded in agreement. "Data, has there been any contact with Angel One since we visited here four years ago?"

"None, sir. Since it is remote and close to the Neutral Zone, Starfleet does not regularly send ships to this sector."

Ensign Ro piped up, "I'm sorry sir. I've read the reports from four years ago, but I'm still not at all familiar with this planet."

The corners of the captain's mouth turned up. "There's no reason you should be, Ensign. You weren't with us four years ago. Data, I think we could all stand to be reminded of this planet's interesting political structure… Don't you agree, Number One?"

Riker burst out into a bright grin, which made Counselor Troi pinch her mouth together and adjust her seat. Being an empath, she knew exactly what he was remembering from the away team's stay on the planet.

"Certainly, Captain." Data agreed. "Angel One is a matriarchal society. However, in recent years males have been gaining in status. It is a constitutional oligarchy, with a leading council is composed of six "Mistresses," the highest of which is called "The Elected One. 

"Eleven years ago," he continued, "The freighter _Odin_ was disabled in this sector, but four survivors in escape pods were able to make it to the planet. Being human males, they were unaccustomed to the ways of society and were soon labeled subversive. They did manage to secretly marry Angel One women - one even to a HeadMistress - and several had children. During our stay four years ago, this group was uncovered and The Elected One, Mistress Beata, banished them all to a distant continent."

Riker noted with a smile, "Beata is quite a progressive leader for her people. Her first instinct was to kill them."

Picard tugged at his uniform front again. "Well, we will have to try and establish contact again and come up with some sort of plan for evacuation. Being so remote a place, they don't warm quickly to strangers, as I recall. And we need to earn their trust."

Troi spoke for the first time during the meeting. "They warm more quickly to some strangers than to others, Captain." She shot a look at Riker. He grinned back, which made it impossible to keep her lips angrily pursed together at him.

"Number One," Picard said from the end of the table. "I think it's best if you remember the political structure of the planet when choosing your away team."

"Agreed," Riker said. "Beata seemed amused with Data the last time… and otherwise, Troi and Ro are the obvious choices."

Picard nodded. "Then once we establish communication, the four of you will beam down."

The response to the ship's hail was cold. The woman who popped up on the viewscreen had a beautiful, although severe and angular face. Her dark hair was pulled into a tight knot at the back of her head and Riker noticed she was wearing the drab uniform of an Angel One policewoman. Her gray tunic was belted at the shoulder and midsection and contained almost absurdly large shoulder pads.

He was surprised to hear her say, "I am Mistress Aliana, The Elected One."

Troi was surprised too. As before, it had been decided she, as the most senior female bridge officer, should make initial contact; and like everyone else, had expected to talk with Beata. "Mistress Aliana, when we visited your world before, Mistress Beata was The Elected One."

The woman's expression grew even colder at that. "Yes, our people grew tired of Beata's radical ways. I have been serving as The Elected One for a year."

Riker and Picard exchanged a glance, which Troi desperately hoped would not show up on Aliana's viewscreen.

"Mistress Aliana, we have news of great importance to you that we wish to beam down and discuss."

Aliana raised an eyebrow slightly. "I find that hard to believe… but it you insist, a small party will be granted a short audience."

"That is all we ask, for the moment," Troi said pleasantly. Before she could say anything further, Aliana disappeared, to be replaced by a view of the turning planet below.

"Communication was ended at the source," Worf said from above.

"Four years certainly didn't do much for their manners, did it?" Riker said.

The council chambers were much as Riker, Troi and Data remembered them. They were led in to kneel before Aliana, who was seated on a raised platform. A small group of women was gathered around the edges of the room… the rest of the Mistresses. All of them were clad in the same dull uniform Riker remembered only the policewomen had worn before. What had happened to the vibrant, loose-fitting florals the Mistresses used to wear?

"Well," Aliana said with her slightly raised eyebrow. "You have asked for an audience and here you are."

Troi began. "Mistress Aliana, we have come to tell you your planet is in grave danger. An asteroid is on a collision course with this very continent and we have been unable to alter it."

Aliana sat. Her expression did not change. Finally, she said, "Is that all?"

"We are available to help evacuate your people to a safer location and to provide disaster relief when the asteroid hits. Our technology would enable us to…"

Aliana held up a hand to silence her. "You've asked an audience to discuss _this?"_ she asked quietly… tonelessly. 

Troi nodded.

The leader shook her head to herself. "I had been warned that the Federation was up to no good, coming here." She looked up at the away team. "This is a trick to get us off our planet. Our scientists would tell us if we were in any real danger."

The fact the woman was so dismissive of the situation, without even hearing Troi out, made Riker's blood boil. "We came here to help you," he blurted. "Millions of your people could die if you don't listen to us."

There was a collective gasp from the Mistresses. Several of them took a step forward, towards where Riker kneeled, but Aliana help her hand up again to stop them. Her face was bent in fury, but she seemed determined to not let it out.

After several moments, the tension went out of her jawline and she raised her head, eyes blazing, at Troi. "We know your customs are different," she finally said. "We try to be understanding, but we must ask that you keep your male silent in our presence."

Troi's mouth dropped open. This was not the Angel One she remembered. The men had been submissive, yes, but not downtrodden. Recovering from the shock of the Mistress' statement, she looked over at Riker. 

Patience, Imzadi she thought at him. He nodded. She pursed her lips together and turned back to Aliana. "The male will not speak out of turn again," she said.

For the first time, Aliana's lips curled into a smile. "He really is your male, isn't he? Oh, he must be quite a handful for you. I should like to discuss with you how you keep him in line, but perhaps another time."

If it hadn't have been for her considerable training as a counselor, Troi thought she might have thrown a nearby urn at The Elected One for that comment. But, instead, she swallowed and said, "We would like to meet with your scientists and show you our data. Our android is quite knowledgeable about the subject."

Aliana turned to Data, as if she had just noticed him for the first time. "Is that what he is? A machine? Why would anyone design a machine to look like a male?" Several of the Mistresses chuckled. "I suppose it would do no harm… our scientists could use an amusing experience… I don't suppose you have any female machines, do you?"

Troi shook her head.

Aliana sighed, "A pity. It seems dangerous to put so much knowledge in a male body. As you know – some males can make charming companions, but none of them are blessed with much intelligence. I don't want our males to see him and form wild dreams that will just make them discontented."

Troi nodded, unable to form any other sort of comment at such ignorance. "The Prime Directive, The Prime Directive…" she kept thinking to herself. 

The light behind Riker's eyes was a dangerous one. He was reaching the end of his rather short rope. Troi knew a few more comments like that one, and he'd explode. She didn't want to find out how the Mistresses would react to that kind of outburst.

Ro had shut down. She still kneeled in place between Troi and Riker, but there was no longer any light in her eyes at all. She had heard people like Aliana speak propaganda against others through her entire prophet-awful childhood. Hearing it again, even coming from a non-Cardassian, against a group she didn't even belong to, made her defense mechanisms kick in. She no longer was even aware she was still in the council room. She was reliving the work camps.

Only Data seemed unaffected by the situation. He was looking around the room with interest, eager to hear what The Elected One would say next and what Troi's response would be.

Aliana lifted a finger and beckoned to someone in the back of the room. A shadow the away team hadn't even noticed was there moved to her side. It was a small figure, entirely covered in a navy blue caftan. Its head was covered by an attached hood, but since the head was bowed, the away team couldn't even see its face.

The Elected One spoke, "I will make arrangements for the male machine to meet with our top scientific minds. Meanwhile, Counselor Troi, you will be shown to a place where you can relax." She threw a lascivious eye at Riker as she said it. It wasn't flirtation. It was one-sided, and from her manner, clearly Aliana didn't expect it to be any other way.

The cloaked figure, head still bowed, led them from council chambers through the building's twists and turns, until the away team finally arrived at the same guest quarters they had stayed in four years before. The figure spoke in a high, but distinctively male, voice, "Please, mistresses, let me know if there is anything else you need." He bowed even lower and turned to go.

But Riker thought he recognized the voice. "Trent? Is that you?"

The figure stiffened. He raised his head. Although a dark undergarment covered most of his head and neck under the caftan, his face was free. There were lines there that had not been four years ago, but it was unmistakably the face of Mistress Beata's favorite.

"Trent? What the hell is going on here?"

The small man's blue eyes widened in fear. "You mustn't." he said. "They might hear."

Troi stepped forward. "You have to forgive us, Trent. We are very… confused by the situation we've come back to."

Trent looked around at the small group with sudden recognition. "You're the ones… the ones that started this whole trouble…"


	2. The Restorers

"If Mistress Beata had only executed those men and their wives, as she intended…" Trent said accusingly. "Her leniency ended everything… And you…" he glared at Riker, "You were the one who talked her out of it."

Troi touched Trent's arm gently, slipping into counselor mode. "Why don't you sit down and tell us about it."

Trent shook his head emphatically. "No, no, I couldn't. The Mistresses would find out."

"You would be punished?" Troi figured out.

Trent nodded.

"Why?"

"It is forbidden."

"Trent?" Troi pressed, "What is forbidden?"

He shook off her touch, "I have to go. If Mistress Aliana knew I was talking to you… I have to go." He ducked out the door.

Troi moved to the sofa underneath the large picture window on the opposite side of the chambers. 

Riker crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow. "He seemed scared of his own shadow."

"He is," Troi said. "I could sense it."

"What about Aliana and the Mistresses? What did you get from them?"

Troi shook her head, "They love the power. Somehow that has gotten entangled into their belief systems… That may not make much sense right now, but I don't know how else to put it into words."

Data circled the edges of the room, exploring their quarters. He talked as he walked. "I, for one, would be fascinated to learn how this society has changed so drastically in such a short time period."

Ro was beginning to wake up from the trance-like state she'd been in in the council chambers. "Some kind of violent revolution, most likely."

"I'd agree with that," Troi said. "I got the impression the Mistresses know their hold on society is tenuous at best. They know they do not have the full support of all the public."

"You don't think all the women on the planet share their views, then?" Riker asked.

"No, not anymore than everyone believed slavery was morally justifiable in Earth history when that was legal centuries ago. I think we're seeing a powerful group enforcing its views on the whole of society."

Riker grunted, "And what can we do about it?"

Data stepped towards him and raised a finger, "As you know, Commander, the Prime Directive prohibits us from taking any action to influence this planet's natural development."

"I know what the Prime Directive says, Data," Riker said, stalking over to the couch where he flopped down next to Troi. "These people have limited technology, correct?"

"Yes," Data said. "In some ways, their technology is similar to late 20th-century Earth."

"So, their scientists, even if they were able to detect the asteroid, wouldn't be able to do anything about it," Riker stated.

"That is an accurate statement of facts, sir," Data nodded. "That is what I will try and impress upon the scientists I meet with."

The door opened again, and this time a woman entered. She was dressed in the same clothes as the Mistresses, but carried a gun and what looked to be a pile of clothing. None of the away team members remembered seeing her in the council chambers. She must be a policewoman, then.

"You, Machine," she pointed her gun at Data. "You will wear one of these and accompany me to the laboratory."

Data approached the pile of clothes she had set down on the table. It was a black caftan and hood.

"This is the undergarment," the woman tossed what appeared to be a scuba diving suit, minus scuba equipment, at the android.

Data blinked without moving. "What is the purpose of these garments?" he finally asked.

The policewoman straightened her back and pointed her gun at Data again. "Mistress Aliana has instructed you to wear it when you are outside these chambers away from your women… you too," she pointed her gun at Riker.

Data still made no move towards the coverings. "Again, I ask, why? I am a visitor you your planet…"

The policewoman lowered her gun to the ground below Data's feet and shot off a round. "You are required to wear these garments!" she shouted. "Punishment for not wearing them is DEATH!"

"Data," Riker called his attention. When Data turned to catch his eye, Riker gave one slow nod.

He picked up the garments in order to take them to the next room to change, but the policewoman stopped him. "Here is good enough for you. I would not think a machine would be so modest."

Data raised an eyebrow, and then began to remove his Starfleet uniform to put on the tight undergarment. Riker, Troi and Ro all looked away, but the policewoman leered the entire time, especially when she discovered how anatomically correct Data really was.

"A wanton, just like all males," she said, sneering. "I bet you enjoyed that."

"No," Data said simply. "I do not enjoy anything. But it is clear that you did."

The woman grimaced and pointed her gun at the door, "This way," she waved. Data, clad from head-to-toe in the black flowing garment did not lower his head as he turned to leave.

As the strange pair walked through the door, the rest of the away team looked around at one another. "I think I better contact the Captain," Riker finally said. "This mission isn't exactly going as planned."

Data removed the servo from his forearm and disconnected it from the scientists' computer terminal.

None of the six women in the room spoke for a moment. They had just viewed animation of the near-destruction of their home.

After the policewoman had delivered Data and left, the scientists had had to examine him carefully. None had ever seen an android before. He had humored them as best as he could, but eventually he showed them the information they needed to know.

Now, they sat in silence, trying to comprehend it.

Finally, one of them, a curly-haired blonde named Calindra, looked furtively at the others. "Six months ago," she said. "I discovered a large object with my telescope. I've tracked it since and believed it was heading towards us… but I didn't think it would impact."

Dalia, another of the scientists, said, "I saw the object too… but I knew Aliana would dismiss it. It would be death to mention it to her."

"Then you believe we are trying to help you?" Data asked.

Calindra looked him in the eye, "Yes… but…"

Dalia finished for her. "But we cannot say so to Aliana. She has her mind made up already. Any attempt to change it would be suicide for ourselves and our families."

"She would silence truth and destroy her people, simply to keep up the illusion of her power," Data said to himself. "Curious."

Dalia had heard him, however. "It isn't an illusion, Mr. Machine. Aliana is powerful. That's the only reason she is on the seat of The Elected One."

Data frowned, "She was not elected then?"

The scientist chortled, "She was elected by her fellow Restorers, all right."

"Shhh," Calindra warned her.

Dalia would have none of it. "The Machine deserves to know," she said. "Some say this all started when he and his kind were here the last time."

"I am curious to hear the story of how Mistress Aliana came to power," Data nodded for her to continue.

"There was a group," Dalia said, "That thought Mistress Beata was too lenient on the _Odin_ families. 'They deserved death,' they said. 'In the old days, no man would be able to influence a leader the way your Commander Riker influenced Beata… Beata must be a weak ruler.'

"It went on like that for months… years, even… From that day forward Beata was a weakling in their eyes, although to the rest of us, she seemed a reasonable leader. She instituted some reforms, but she was just keeping up with the times. She didn't like change any more than the rest of us do.

"But," Dalia continued, "This group didn't see it that way. A group of security guards plotted together, and one night while we all slept… they crept into Beata's rooms and killed her in cold blood… right in front of poor Trent, too…"

Calindra took over the narrative. "Aliana was the ringleader. They called themselves, 'The Restorers' because they said they were restoring the old order… which is a lie… our ancestors never lived this way… treated their males this badly."

Dalia finished, "They only care about ruling. You might say Aliana is on a power trip."

Data puzzled over what they had told him. "If the majority of you do not want to live this way, then why do you not overthrow Aliana and the rest of The Restorers?"

"Mr. Machine, you do not understand," Dalia said roughly.

"What I do understand," Data said, "Is you and your loved ones are about to be destroyed because your government will not listen to reason. My shipmates and I can help you, but apparently your fear of Mistress Aliana is holding you back."

The scientists didn't like the way that sounded. They traded glances back and forth amongst each other until Dalia finally said, "All right Mr. Machine… What exactly do you suggest we do?"


	3. Revolutionaries

Riker slapped his combadge as he heard the hail from the _Enterprise_. "Riker here," he said.

"Number One," Picard's voice answered back. "Chief O'Brien informs me all the transporter rooms are now ready to begin synchronous transport. When will you be ready to begin evacuating?"

Riker exchanged a brief glance with Troi before answering, "Captain, we've had some complications…"

Just then, Data, still fully clad in his heavy caftan, entered the room. This time the policewoman simply pushed him in, and did not enter before the door shut. 

"Commander…" he began, "I have learned much."

"Excuse me, Captain," Riker said. "Commander Data has something to say."

The android adjusted his report to include Picard. "Sir," he said. "The government of Angel One that we knew was deposed by a military coup about a year ago. Mistress Beata was assassinated by her guards and replaced group that is conservative to the point of repression."

Riker's head dipped briefly at the news of Beata's death, but he piped in. "Data, do we know what happened to the _Odin_ group?"

Data shook his head. "The scientists had no knowledge of them. They were placed in such a remote location, it may be they have had no contact with outsiders in four years."

"Data, do we know where that was?"

"Yes, sir… on a part of the southern continent."

The away team could almost hear Picard's head nodding as he followed Riker's line of thinking. "Number One, why don't you beam over to the southern continent and check in on Ramsey and the others."

"Agreed, sir."

Riker and Troi dematerialized a few minutes later onto a barren and windswept landscape. Sand hurled at them, chafing their skin.

"Are we sure we're in the right place?" Troi shouted, her voice being swept away by the howling wind.

Riker shouted back. "Worf said sensors showed a small community within ten meters of the beam-down location."

"But in which direction?" Troi asked. She had to fight to keep her eyes open against the wind, and when she did, sand flew in. The pair could barely see two meters in front of them, let alone ten.

"It should be dead ahead," Riker said, staggering to take a step forward. He grabbed Troi's arm. "Stay connected."

They kept staggering into the wind. It seemed like hours passed, but they had no way to judge the time. "We must be lost," Riker said, finally "We'll have to beam up and wait until the weather clears.

But Troi was looking over his shoulder. "No, wait… I see something." A dark shape loomed only a couple of meters ahead. She grabbed the commander's arm, and kept him moving.

Finally, they reached the shape - a sturdy tent of some kind. They followed the edge of it until they came to flap that looked like a doorway on the leeward side. They stumbled through, and fell to the ground, which was covered with all kinds of mats and pillows.

They were aware that their arrival caused several children to shriek, parents scooping them away. But they were too tired to care.

Finally, Riker saw boots in his line of vision. He looked up and saw Ramsey, the leader of the _Odin_ group.

He was not covered in a caftan. He was dressed in the same brown leather jacket and pants the _Enterprise _crew had seen him in before. 

He had grown a beard (but then, Riker thought, so had he) and his light brown hair had a tinge of gray in it, now, but otherwise he looked the same. Data had been right, they were so remote, the planet's changes had passed them by.

A light of recognition gleamed in Ramsey's eyes. "You!" he exclaimed.

Riker and Troi sat up, coughing, and looked at their surroundings. The tent was a good-sized one, measuring probably around 20 square meters. It muffled the wind surprisingly well. But it was also crammed with people. They recognized the four _Odin_ survivors and their wives. Ramsey's wife, Ariel, was sitting on the opposite wall, also dressed in brown leather with her dark hair simply pulled back. She was nursing a child under her jacket. She glared at the away team as she held her baby.

There were children everywhere around the tent, of various ages and sizes. Riker estimated there to be around 10 of them. The oldest ones appeared to be around ten, and one of the Angel One women had the full belly of someone not far away from delivery.

"Are you crazy?" Ramsey finally said. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to wander out in the dessert during a sandstorm?"

"We had to find you," Riker said, brushing sand out of his beard. "And we don't have a lot of time."

"Did Beata decide she wanted to execute us, after all?' Ariel said sarcastically. "The last time the crew of the _Enterprise_ found our group that's almost what happened."

Riker said, "I'm sorry, Mistress, obviously you haven't heard. Mistress Beata is dead."

"Dead?" Ariel exclaimed. She handed her baby to the woman sitting next to her and came to stand by her husband.

Troi said, "There have been a lot of changes since your group was exiled, Mistress Ariel…"

"Tell me," the Mistress demanded.

After the explanations were over, the group sat around the edges of the tent, heads bowed in thought. Ramsey finally spoke. "So, you say there's no chance for these people when the asteroid hits."

Riker shook his head, "None. If we don't evacuate the planet, everyone on Angel One will die."

"How long before the planet can sustain life again?" Ramsey said. 

The commander's eyebrows lifted, "Well, if the government would accept Starfleet's help, our terraformers and scientists could have it inhabitable in a couple of months… but they don't even want to acknowledge that there _is_ an asteroid at this point."

"Fools," Ariel spat. "I remember Aliana when she was with the security force. She always was short-sighted and close-minded."

"Do I take it your group will evacuate to the _Enterprise_?" Riker asked.

"Of course, Commander," Ramsey said. "We are independent, but not stupid."

"No," Ariel looked at her husband.

"What?" his head whirled. "Ariel… the children…"

"You go. Take the children to the ship. My people need me."

"Ariel…" Ramsey protested.

She didn't pay him any attention. "Commander, from what I understand, I may be the only one of the old Mistresses alive."

Riker nodded, "That may very well be the case."

"Then the people might listen to me. Aliana never would… but if I appealed to the common woman… we might be able to save at least some of our civilization." 

She looked into Ramsey's eyes. A light dawned there, and the edges of his mouth turned up in a rusty smile.

"You're right," he said. "That's the way to do it."

Riker wasn't so sure about the plan. "Now, wait a minute, Mistress… As Starfleet officers, you know we can't assist you in rebelling against your government."

Ariel scoffed. "It isn't my government, Commander. And I find it hard to believe Starfleet would look to kindly on a ship that lost the entire population of a planet, minus four small families… Now, please, beam the rest of them to your ship. I will go back with you to the capital.

Riker nodded grudgingly, and tapped his communicator. "Riker to _Enterprise_… 18 to transport."

Chief O'Brien's voice answered back. "Only 18, sir? We're running out of time. By my estimates, we need to start transporting at full capacity within the next eight hours in order to get everyone up safely before the asteroid hits."

"I know, O'Brien," Riker said. "If all goes as planned, we'll be able to start before then."

"Yes sir," the transporter chief answered, "18 coming up." Ramsey and the others soon dematerialized. Only Riker, Troi and Ariel remained in the tent.

"Now, O'Brien," Riker said. "Take us back to Data and Ro."

"Yes sir."

The tent disappeared, and when the trio rematerialized, they were in the guest chambers again.

"Now, Mistress Ariel," Riker asked. "What is your plan?"

A fire glinted in her eyes. "Now, Commander, I talk to the people." She stormed towards the door.

"Commander?" Ro looked at him quizzically.

"Ensign," he responded. "Accompany Mistress Ariel. If she gets into any danger, I want both of you beamed back on the _Enterprise_, understand?" 

"Yes sir," she half-smiled, and whirled around to follow Ariel.

"Commander," Data said, "May I point out that by bringing Mistress Ariel here, your actions might be interpreted as a violation of the Prime Directive?"

"I know, Data." Riker said. "Let's hope no one interprets it that way."

The android nodded, "Yes sir. Perhaps then, it would be best if Counselor Troi would accompany me to the science labs… We can discuss more of the asteroid situation with the scientists." He raised a brow.

Riker broke out into a grin. "That does sound like a good plan, Mister Data. Just remember, we have less than eight hours."

"Understood, sir."

"Mr. Machine, are you suggesting we evacuate without Mistress Aliana's consent?" Calindra asked in amazement.

Data nodded from under the hood of his caftan. "The _Enterprise_ will beam aboard anyone who wishes to leave."

"But Aliana…"

"Mistress," Data said slowly. "If the planet is not evacuated soon, everyone on Angel One will die… including Mistress Aliana. We have located an exiled member of the old government, who has requested the Federation's help in this matter."

"…Ariel," Dalia realized. She threw a glance at the other scientists. "Well, Mr. Machine. I, for one, would rather take my chances with her, than listen to Aliana and die. Count me in."

Calindra seemed frozen at first, but then, she too smiled. "Devon will be so happy… my husband…" she said for Data's benefit. "We were married just before all this started. We never got to take a honeymoon… males traveling for pleasure was something Aliana forbid right away."

"Do all of you wish to go?" Data asked. 

The scientists all nodded.

"Then go get your families… Quickly… There is not much time… And meet me in the guest quarters in an hour. Tell others. Bring as many as you can."

Riker was surprised with how smoothly the evacuation seemed to be going. They had met little resistance so far. Even a couple of policewomen had decided to throw their lot in with Ariel and the others and were beamed aboard.

There were only a few hundred more people to transport to the ship, and Aliana had not even tried to stop them. 

There was no way she couldn't have known what was going on… the population of her planet was disappearing… but she had made no move to stop them.

Why not?

She hadn't struck Riker as someone to give up that easily… even if she knew she was wrong.

"Will," Troi came up to him. "Have you seen Ro and Ariel recently?"

"No, not since they left here. They're still out looking for people to evacuate."

Troi shivered. "No one has seen them since they brought this group in… " She nodded to the fifty or so men and women gathered in the corner of the room. "That was three hours ago. I sense panic from them… I thought it was just the situation, but as the room is clearing out and my senses are becoming more focused… I'm beginning to think they're in some kind of danger... Will, Aliana must have them."

Riker sighed. Just great.

It had been going too well.


	4. The Device

A few hours earlier, Ro and Ariel had been in the meeting room of a small complex of dwellings. "You are in danger," they told the people gathered there. "Come with us to the beam-up site. Don't wait."

One elderly woman had looked at the graying head of her uncovered husband when they said that. Obviously, this dwelling group was composed of some of the liberal-minded. The man had not been afraid to come out of his own quarters without his caftan. But to walk the streets without it was a different matter.

"My husband will need to go put on his clothes," the woman finally told Ariel.

The Mistress gritted her teeth. "Persella, there isn't time. If Aliana isn't going to arrest you for listening to the _Enterprise _crew about the asteroid, she certainly isn't going to arrest Markus for not wearing his caftan."

The woman, Persella, thought about it for a moment and then slowly nodded. Markus, her husband, took a step closer to her for support. He was doing his best not to tremble.

Ro stepped up next to Ariel. "Are we all ready to go, then?" She drew her phaser, but let the arm carrying it relax by her side, as she led the group out of the room. This would be the fourth large group she and Ariel had brought back to the transport site. According to Ariel, there were only a few more dwelling groups in the capital. Then they would begin with the outlying areas.

She pushed open the outer door that led to the street, and stopped in her tracks.

Ariel, right behind her, bumped into her back, but, still, Ro didn't move.

"What…?" Ariel began, but then she saw…

The door was surrounded by a semi-circle of policewomen… their guns all trained on Ro's chest. She didn't dare raise her phaser, (not that she would have stood much of a chance with it against 20 policewomen, anyway) or even tap her communicator.

The cold voice of Mistress Aliana spoke from behind the line of policewomen. "What do we have here? Traitors, perhaps?" She pushed her way through the line of guards to stand in front of Ro and held her hand out. Ro jutted her chin out, but offered her phaser, with the barrel pointed at the Mistress.

She stiffened her back and looked Aliana straight in the eye. She wasn't going to let this woman make her feel like a helpless child again. Aliana twisted her mouth, and took the surrendered phaser.

Ariel pushed her way out in front of Ro. "Actually, Aliana. I was thinking the word 'patriots' suited us better."

Aliana turned her icy gaze on the Mistress. "My dear Ariel. It has been a long time… I thought you'd be dead by now."

Ariel smirked. "Living in the desert these past four years has only made me stronger. I can see you've changed too, but I never did trust you to guard me."

Aliana slapped Ariel so hard she stumbled.

Somewhere, back inside, Ro heard Markus start to whimper. The ones behind the doorway were trapped too. This was the only way out to their dwellings. 

Ro started to inch her left hand up her side, hopefully slowly enough no one noticed. If only she could get to her communicator… If she opened a channel, the bridge would be able to hear what was going on and beam them all up on the spot… she hoped.

Aliana was still watching Ariel with satisfaction, as the whole side of her face turned red and she looked up at The Elected One with daggers in her eyes. Ro's hand was above her waist… only a few more inches to go…

Aliana whirled suddenly and ripped the communicator off her chest. "How stupid do you think I am, Starfleet?" she taunted. "Didn't you think I would notice what you were doing?" She threw the communicator to the ground. "Now, all of you will see what happens to traitors on Angel One!"

She nodded to the policewomen. One of them came and roughly grabbed Ro by the arm. Another dragged Ariel with her. The rest rounded up the residents huddled in the doorway. 

Out of the group of women and caftaned men, Markus stood out like a Cardassian in the Vedek Assembly, Ro thought to herself.

Sure enough, one of the policewomen dragged him in front of Aliana as soon as she saw him. The old man began sobbing as he dropped to his knees. 

"Where is your caretaker, you whore?" The Elected One demanded. Her head remained unbent as she spoke, as if she might catch something from the very sight of him.

Persella stepped forward. "Please, Mistress… we were only going from our dwelling to here and back. He is an old man… Please, Mistress… I did not think…"

"Liar," Aliana spat. "You know the law. It is disgusting to allow a man to parade about wearing almost nothing at all. You know wearing the garment is as much for his protection as anything."

Markus raised his head. "No," he said.

"What did you say?" Aliana said, looking at him. Her voice was becoming very dangerous now.

"No," Markus repeated, discovering his backbone for the first time in his 75 years. "I can't see anything when I'm wearing my garment. It's hot and it's uncomfortable. How can it be for my benefit?"

"Markus!" Tear began streaming down Persella's face… knowing what was probably coming after such a statement.

Aliana brought her knee up into Markus' jaw, knocking him backwards onto the pavement. At the same moment, Ro stomped on her captor's foot and twirled away. She made a desperate leap for her communicator… but Aliana kicked it away again, just as it was almost within her reach. The policewoman, recovered, grabbed her again, making sure to twist her arm this time.

Persella ran to her husband's side. He was unmoving. Blood ran from the back of his head. 

"You've killed him!" she shouted at Aliana. "He was my husband for 50 years and you've killed him after making his last few years a living hell."

Aliana seemed unconcerned. She merely nodded to the guard next to Persella. The policewoman nodded back and raised her gun to the back of the old woman's head. She fired a single shot, and Persella's body fell across Markus' chest.

The shot echoed through the small canyon of buildings and pavement. No one else made a sound. Aliana's captives stood in shock, looking at the bodies of the elderly couple. Only Ro and Ariel dared meet The Elected One's eye.

Aliana folded her arms across her chest. "Now, you see a small part of the fate we have in store for you, Traitors." She whirled around and led the way back to the council chambers.

Aliana led them to the back part of the chambers, where Ro saw a device she recognized from the old away team logs. It looked harmless enough, almost like a piece of sculpture… two black pillars tilted inward… their tops were about shoulder length apart.

The Elected One clapped her hands once and Ro saw a caftaned figure she recognized as Trent, bring in a crystal ball. According to the reports, condemned prisoners stood between the pillars with their hands on them and were vaporized when the crystal ball was touched. Mistress Beata had claimed it was a quick and painless death, Ro had read.

Ariel, to her right, was facing the device for the second time in her life. She sucked in her breath when she saw the ball Trent brought in. "She's modified it," she whispered to Ro. "She's upped the setting."

"Let me guess," Ro whispered back. "Slow and painful."

Ariel didn't even need to answer that.

The two of them, were kneeling in front of Aliana's perch with two policewomen guarding them. The rest of the Mistresses were gathered in their spot by the wall. The group Ro and Ariel had been leading was crouched in front of the Mistresses. It was clear Aliana wanted witnesses for what she was about to do.

"Mistress Ariel," she said in a sugary tone in opposition to her stone cold face. "I want you to be the first to try my new toy." She turned to face the others, "Perhaps later, all of you can play with it… but I want Dear Mistress Ariel to be the first." She held out her left hand, and Trent placed the crystal ball in it.

The two guards dragged Ariel to the device. She started what would be her last words. "No matter what you do to me, Aliana, you've already lost and you know it. Most of your people have already left this planet and when the asteroid hits, you'll be destroyed."

"Perhaps," Aliana said… bringing her right hand slowly down over the ball. The device began to emit a high-pitched noise the closer her hand came to making contact.

On the bridge of the _Enterprise_, Riker and Troi sat flanking Picard. Riker was stroking his beard. "Data, anything?"

The android was busy tapping on the control panel at his station. He did not answer at first. Then he shouted, "Mister O'Brien… Bajoran lifesigns… I am transferring the coordinates to you."

As Aliana's hand reached the crystal ball, Ariel disappeared. 

Aliana blinked, and looked back. The device never worked that quickly. It should have taken a full minute for Ariel's body to painfully tear apart, atom-by-atom.

She handed the crystal ball to Trent and went over to investigate. It wasn't until she, herself, was standing in between the pillars that she realized Ro and the others were gone too.

Trent lowered his right hand onto the ball. Aliana's screams filled his ears until he too was enveloped by the blue and white lights of the _Enterprise _transporter beam.

_Captains Log, Stardate 45482.1 – The _Enterprise_ and three other science vessels have just witnessed the asteroids collision with the planet of Angel One. Although we will be studying the data from this experience for years, our priority right now is to get the people of Angel One back home as soon as possible. Terraformers from the science vessels will be staying for the next several months to get the planet back to normal._

_ We, however, must leave this system and transfer our passengers to the other vessels._

Ariel stood on the transporter pad with her baby once again in her arms. "We owe our lives to you several times over, Captain," she said. 

Ramsey put his arm around her before taking his place on the pad behind hers. "I'm very glad you were able to find those lifesigns when you did, Captain. Otherwise…" he shuddered.

Ariel smiled across the room at Ro. "Thank you," she said, "For everything."

The corners of Ro's mouth turned up and she nodded, shyly.

Picard looked at O'Brien. "Energize," he said. As Ariel and Ramsey's family disintegrated into the transporter beam, he turned to Ro. "I have a feeling things will never be quite the same on Angel One."

"That may not be a bad thing, Captain," Ro said, hands clasp behind her back.

"No," Picard said, walking towards the door. "I'll be sure to tell that to Starfleet Command in my report."

Inwardly, Ro groaned. That was Picard's quiet way of telling her he knew the away team hadn't followed The Prime Directive to the letter. But then she noticed he was smiling. He approved, then.

"In fact, I also thought I'd mention to Command that I may have an officer to recommend to them for Advanced Tactical Training."

"Me sir? Ro Laren? Isn't that normally a course for security officers?"

"Normally," the captain nodded. "But I think you'd be up for the challenge. Am I right?"

The very idea set Ro back, but the more she thought about it, the better she liked the sound of it. "Maybe someday sir…" She said.

And the two of them walked around the corner.


End file.
